An estimated 250,000 Syrian refugees have fled to Lebanon, due to the ongoing civil war. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah/World Vision)

When Syrians began fleeing their country’s civil war in early 2011, neighboring Lebanon welcomed them into its homes and communities.

Many Lebanese even picked them up at the Syria-Lebanon border to expedite their sudden flight from the violence.

Nearly two years later, though, resentment among their hosts has surfaced as Lebanon struggles to accommodate the 250,000 Syrian refugees who have settled throughout the country.

Refugee population strains resources

More than 60 percent of the refugees are now renting their own homes.

But their presence — in hundreds of villages across the country — has depleted supplies in pharmacies, increased competition for jobs, raised the price of housing, and, in some cases, more than doubled the population of certain towns or villages, according to the United Nations.

The Lebanese government opened its public schools to Syrian children. Aid agencies have provided everything from water and sanitation facilities, to food vouchers and monthly housing stipends to Syrian families.

Including refugees, about 811,000 Syrians now live in Lebanon. An additional 450,000 Palestinian refugees live in the country. This guest population of more than 1.2 million equals about one-quarter of Lebanon’s citizen population.

And security forces are reporting more crimes involving Syrians, as both aggressors and victims.

Also, ongoing community development programs benefit about 50,000 Lebanese people, including nearly 20,000 sponsored children. These projects that provide support for both hosts and refugees help diffuse tension.

International community hears plea

In a sign that host countries’ appeals for aid are being heard, international donors pledged $1.5 billion to help millions in the region affected by the brutal war, with approximately $1 billion earmarked for Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt.

The remaining $500 million is for humanitarian aid to Syrians displaced inside their country.

It remains unclear when government and donor aid will come specifically to Lebanese host communities, or how it will be distributed.